Walking Fern

The Walking Fern is a member of the Aspleniaceae family and is characterized as a small tuff with simple leaves. This perennial plant is comprised of lanceolate leaf blades that range from 2 to 12 inches long and have a width between 1/4 and 2 inches. They have distinctively slender bodies with prominent tips. Each blade starts with an auriculate or cordate pubescent base that is of a pale green hue. This extends into a relatively smooth margin with some slight undulation of the leaf's blade. The uppermost surface of this plant's blade is dark to medium green and free from any fuzzy hair follicles. The entire surface of the leaf blade is covered with a massive network of veins. 

Walking Fern Growth

Its slender stripes grow between one-quarter of an inch and four inches in length. At their base, these stipes brandish a brownish hue that transitions to bright green when it joins the blade. Younger leaf blades will grow in a horizontal fashion close to the ground. Older leaf blades will grow in a more arching manner. This low-lying plant has a fibrous root system consisting of a short rhizomatous crown.

It produces both fertile and infertile leaf blades, which are fairly similar in appearance. However, fertile leaves tend to be slightly larger in size. Spore-boring structures known as sori can be found on the underside of the fertile leaf blades.

Walking Fern Characteristics

These are characterized as irregularly scattered elongated shapes with laterally attached protective membranes known as indusium. These spores start out with a distinctive yellow hue and turn to a deeper reddish-brown color when they mature. The translucent indusium tissue shrivels, and the spores are ready to propagate. During the late summer to early fall, these spores are released into the wind for natural propagation.

Where To Plant Walking Fern

Native to eastern Canada and the United States, this evergreen fern flourishes in moist and shady environments. It may be referred to as Asplenium Rhizophyllum, North American Walking Fern, Camptosorus Rhizophyllus, or Adiantum. This small perennial plant makes ideal ground foliage for shady garden areas and sloped surfaces where erosion control may be a top concern.

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